Revelation 17:5 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

⁵ And on her forehead was written a mysterious [name], “The great Babylon, the mother of the prostitutes and the disgusting things of the earth.”

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

⁵ and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁵ And on her forehead there was inscribed a name of mystery [with a secret symbolic meaning]: Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes (idolatresses) and of the filth and atrocities and abominations of the earth.

American Standard Version (1901)

⁵ and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Common English Bible

⁵ A name—a mystery—was written on her forehead: “Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and the vile things of the earth.”

Catholic Public Domain Version

⁵ And a name was written upon her forehead: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the fornications and the abominations of the earth.

Revelation 17:5 Cross References

Philippians 3:19

Their [ultimate] end is [spiritual] destruction; their god is their appetite; they boast of what they ought to be ashamed of, and they [constantly] think about worldly things.

2 Thessalonians 2:7

For this mysterious lawlessness is already at work [or, “this lawlessness is already secretly at work”]; but the one who is holding it back [will continue to do so] until he is removed.

Revelation 1:20

The secret of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lamp stands [is this]: The seven stars are the angels [i.e., messengers] of the seven churches. And the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.”

Revelation 11:8

And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city [Note: See the following passages on this “great city,” 14:8; 16:19; 17:5,18; 18:2, 10, 16, 18, 19, and 21] where the Lord was crucified, which is spiritually called Sodom, or Egypt.

Revelation 14:8

Then [I saw] a second angel following [him]. He said, “Fallen! Great Babylon has fallen. She has forced all the nations to drink the wine of her passionate sexual immorality [Note: The word “passionate” here could also mean “angry”].”

Revelation 16:19

And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations were destroyed. And God remembered the great Babylon and made her drink from the cup of wine of His fierce anger.

Revelation 17:1

Then one of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls, came and spoke to me, saying, “Come [here]; I will show you the punishment [to fall] on the great prostitute who is situated on many bodies of waters.

Revelation 17:2

The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk from [drinking] the wine of her sexual immorality.”

Revelation 17:7

Then the angel [See verse 1] said to me, “Why are you so amazed? I will explain to you the secret [meaning] of the woman and the beast with seven heads and ten horns that she is riding on.

Revelation 18:2

And he called out with a loud voice, saying, “Fallen! The great Babylon has fallen, and has become a place where demons live, and a haunt for every evil spirit and every filthy and obnoxious bird {Some ancient manuscripts add the following phrase}“and every filthy and obnoxious animal”.

Revelation 18:21

Then a mighty angel picked up a rock the size of a huge millstone and threw it into the ocean, saying, “This is how the great city of Babylon will be violently thrown down and will never be found again.

Revelation 19:2

For His judgments are true and just; He has judged [i.e., condemned] the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and He has punished her for [shedding] the blood of His servants.”

Revelation 7:3

saying, “Do not harm the land, or the ocean, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God [with a mark] on their foreheads.”